


Two kinds of tears

by SecretlyFemShep



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-07
Updated: 2014-09-07
Packaged: 2018-02-16 10:38:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2266602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretlyFemShep/pseuds/SecretlyFemShep
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garrus finds that humans cry for many reasons and sees his love shed two types of tears.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two kinds of tears

**Author's Note:**

> Basically I'm playing ME, ME2 and ME3, got saves going on all and this came to me initially when on the Normandy Crash Site mission and more ideas came whilst messing around baiting Reapers on 3 after I switched to that.

Garrus had only seen Shepard cry twice, in all the time he’d known her, come to trust her and eventually love her and he’d only seen her cry twice. The first was also the only time she’d gone entirely on her own for a mission. When she went to the Original Normandy’s crash site.

Shepard had stumbled off the shuttle, her face still hidden behind her helmet, 20 dog tags in her hands, her whole body shaking, it was clear she was crying, still no one said a word, what could they say. Humanities strongest Solider, Hero of the Skyllian blitz, Saviour of the Citadel was crying, it was something that just didn’t happen as far as they knew, yet there it was. She had gone up to the CIC, handing the dog tags to Kelly, instructing her to make sure that they got to the Alliance to be sent to the families of her fallen crew. Then made her way to the elevator and up to her cabin. Kelly placed the tags down and looked away, even she didn’t know what to do, Jacob and Mordin had look out from their rooms to see this, Mordin shaking his head returned to his lab and Jacob slowly returned to the Armoury. Garrus had frowned before going to the cockpit.

 

“You know someone should go up there right?” Joker said casually as Garrus approached and he only nodded. “Shepard’s strong, we both know that better than them but still, that was her crew, her ship…” Garrus nodded again patting the back of Jokers chair.

“EDI, Shepard’s in her room right?” he asked the AI, it was still odd to him but he’d gotten used to her in time.

“She is, though she has locked her door.” EDI provided and Garrus nodded.

“I wouldn’t expect any less. Thank you EDI, I’ll talk to her Joker.” He had said before disappearing back to the CIC and into the elevator, going up to the top, Shepard’s Cabin. He tapped at the walls as he went up a floor, stepping out at it opened and walking to her door, tapping gently on it.

 

“Shepard? Can I come in?” He asked, not hearing anything from inside for a few seconds before he heard sniffling and someone shuffling over to the door.

“Why…” Her voice was weak, shaky even, it was clear to him even then she was trying to keep it stable.

“You shouldn’t be alone right now.” He said calmly, resting a clawed hand on the wall beside her door, mildly surprised when it opened to revile Shepard, wearing shorts, an oversized shirt and her N7 hoodie. Her face was tear stained and eyes red, it broke Garrus’ heart to see his beloved commander like that even then before he admitted his feelings for her.

She walked back into the room and he followed, he took her lead and sat beside her as she curled up on her couch. “I look pathetic…” Shepard muttered, laughing dryly and Garrus reached out, touching her back gently.

“You look like a woman who’s been through too much without a chance to rest.” He said instead and she glanced to him, tears were steadily falling down her soft pink cheeks again, she’d looked away quickly. Garrus wrapped his arm around her properly and she turned to curl up against him, her head on his shoulder, eyes pressed tightly closed. Garrus couldn’t feel it through his armour but he knew that their strongest soldier was crying still.

Garrus never had been the best at comforting people, he wasn’t smooth either but he knew back on the first Normandy he’d follow her anywhere, do anything for her. So he did what she needed and she didn’t even need to say it. He sat there holding her through the night. It didn’t take long till she cried herself to sleep but when Garrus tried to move, to shift her to her bed and leave her she grabbed hold of him tightly and started to shake again, afraid to be alone. So he stayed, he held her as she slept, staying up the whole night to guard her from her fears, the fears no one else ever saw. For once Shepard wasn’t protecting her crew, or even the Galaxy, no this time she let herself be vulnerable, in the arms of a Turian no less and trusted him to guard her. He’d never let her down before and he didn’t start there. He held her, protected her and guarded her. He realised that night he was in deep already, he was already feeling for her. Of course nothing happened till after she helped with Sidonis.

 

By the time that came she was back to her normal self, their immovable centre, she stopped him from doing something he’d deeply regret. She was right in her judgement, as always.

 

The second time he ever saw her cry was on better terms, they weren’t tears of sadness or fear but of happiness. Once he realised that, he was glad to see them.

 

After the destroying of the Reapers they returned to Earth, the crew of the Normandy just wouldn’t accept that Shepard was gone, she couldn’t die, she wouldn’t die, they needed their Commander and wouldn’t give up till they saw her body and even then they would find a way, they needed her. They returned to Earth as soon as the Normandy was ready to fly and scoured the wreck looking for her.

 

Garrus had been the one to find her, a weakly breathing body in the rubble, he’d shouted, overjoyed that she was alive, carefully he pulled the love of his life from the rubble and held her to his chest and everyone rushed over shifting the last of the rubble from her to allow Garrus to lift her. The way he growled quietly at any sign of her being in pain or someone trying to take her form his arms told them not to take her. Primal instincts still there after all, Garrus held his love in his arms after fearing he’d lost her, he wouldn’t let anyone take her from him. He carried her back to the Normandy and got her to the med bay, everyone crowding outside, Chakwas allowed Garrus to stay, hold her whilst she worked even at a quick warning from Liara about Turians being protective of their partners.

 

Eventually he let her go but sat at her side until she was conscious and then he held her gently. She was badly injured, obviously. Her legs were broken, one of her arms was too, several ribs broken and the rest fractured as well as fractures to most bones in her body. Chakwas had joked that “She just refuses to stay down” that got a flutter of Garrus’ mandibles but little else from the worried Turian.

 

Years passed and Shepard healed and the Galaxy was being rebuilt and fixed up, there was no longer a Citadel but they managed to fix up the Mass Relays to allow travel. With what happened everyone was working together to re-build and Shepard was so happy to see it all.

The Krogan’s breeding properly and rebuilding their world, restoring its former glory with a single Krogan race, no more divided and fighting clans, at the head, Wrex and Eve.

The Quarians on their home world again co-existing with the Geth who were helping them re-build and even made it so they adapted quicker, they were able to take their masks off more and more.

The Galaxy was helping one another, if the Krogan had something the Salarian needed to re-build they’d organise a trade even if it involved more than the two, progress was amazing.

 

Garrus and Shepard had two houses, they spent half their year on Earth and half their year on Palaven. Initially the Turians were hesitant to have a human living there but were quick to accept her, after all she was the Saviour of the Galaxy, several times over.

 

That lead to the second time Garrus saw Shepard cry. Standing on a beach on Earth at dusk, Garrus turned to his love and his mandibles fluttered as he gave his version of a grin before sinking to one knee. He’d done his homework, read up on Human proposals, how they went, how to approach them, still he wouldn’t go full out romantic, he’d already been told he wasn’t smooth and romantic and she loved him the way he was anyway. Shepard looked at him with confusion till he pulled out a little black box, realisation came over her face and her eyes widened.

“Logan Shepard, we’ve fought everything together from Mercenaries to rogue Spectres all the way to Collectors and Reapers and each time we’ve come out on top. We’ve been together so long and I really think this is long overdue, will you become Logan Vakarian?” He opened the box to show a golden band with a deep blue gem sat at the top, going hallway down each side of the band were smaller red gems. He worried when he was tears welling in Shepard’s eyes before she smiled at him.

That was the second time and her smile caused his mandible to flutter again, she threw herself at him, her arms around him and pressing kisses to his mandibles and she repeated one word over and over. ‘”Yes” She’d said yes, she eventually and carefully kissed his lips, they’d long since mastered kissing, initially it was awkward one being Human the other Turian but they got it. She pulled back, tears of joy falling down her cheeks. “I’d love to Garrus.” She chuckled gently. “You giant fool what took you so long.” He only chuckled as he took her left hand, slipping the ring onto her ring fingers before gently nuzzling against her hand.

“You agreed to marry this fool.” He teased playfully and she laughed.

“That I did, you’re my fool, forever now.” Sharing another kiss they slowly walked back to their Earth house, holding hands.

They eventually decided to have the actual wedding on Earth, and a second Ceremony on Palaven with Garrus’ people, both would be a mix of their cultures. Of course they joked about the new science coming up that might give them a Human-Turian baby but for now they sent a second letter to Wrex along with his and Eve’s invites, asking about Krogan babies that needed adopting.


End file.
